The office Christmas party is dead – and good riddance

There are other new ways to connect in our modern world, so this criticism completely misses the point.

At Peak, we are fully remote, so we always host our Christmas parties online. Because we spend time planning them properly, we make the celebrations interactive and engaging, and our years of overwhelmingly positive feedback have proven it.

In previous years, our staff have undertaken escape rooms and murder mysteries – all while remaining at home. One year, we threw on our favourite Christmas-themed attire to hunt down the killer of Jacob Marley by interrogating a series of professional actors who played the ‘suspects’. Other options for Christmas parties include ‘virtual volunteering’, where individuals or groups can volunteer their time remotely to support a charitable or worthwhile cause.

Examples of fulfilling activities around the festive period include writing Christmas cards to the elderly or homeless, or recording videos for children in hospitals. This is sometimes the only card, gift, or present a person receives, so it is far more meaningful than a single, all-too-often alcohol-and regret-filled party at the end of the year.

Employers absolutely should be offering remote or hybrid staff a remote Christmas party option. That is not to say people who want to meet in person should be excluded; rather, businesses need to adapt and develop new solutions for staff as the world changes.

Here's a radical idea: ask your employees what they actually want. Employees should be able to have a say in how they work, whether it’s remote, hybrid or in person, and it must be the same for social occasions too. I am sure that if the results were shared with those involved in Christmas party planning, it would be eye-opening.

In addition to various cultural and religious differences, some people just don’t want to celebrate Christmas parties in person and would feel more comfortable if they were hosted online.

For many people, Christmas is a difficult time which brings back painful memories of lost loved ones, family conflict or even financial pressure. Parents and carers can find it difficult to participate in Christmas parties if they involve long travel or overnight stays.

There are also those who may struggle with anxiety, or those who do not drink, and the thought of being surrounded by hundreds of intoxicated people slurring their words is enough to put them off attending. Offering a remote option is far more inclusive for all these individuals, especially during a time which is supposed to be about kindness, giving and generosity.

Christmas parties being held online also mean that, importantly, people get more time back from work. People, in their public and private lives, are under more pressure than ever, and mental health issues are increasing.

An online Christmas party means less pressure, no overnight hotel stays, or lengthy travel time – making it far more sustainable during an already busy time of year.

Colleagues can still be close friends, of course, but for most people, I am sure they would rather spend time with their nearest and dearest over the festive period.

Even if working from home did eventually kill off office Christmas parties completely, the benefits of remote working, which can be seen in the other 364 days of the year, far outweigh a single party at the end of December.

Remote employees are overall healthier and happier and, in turn, give their businesses a boost year-round. There is a famous quote that says, ‘only boring people get bored’. Well, the same is true for engaging with one another online, and only uncreative people can’t connect over a laptop.

The remote Christmas party is here to stay and by 2027 companies still forcing employees to in-person venues will be seen as out of touch, and frankly, stuck in the past – clinging to tinsel and tequila is not ‘tradition’ or creating a positive, inclusive culture.

I, for one, am looking forward to our game-show-style online Christmas party later this month.

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Amy Meekings is Senior People and Communications Manager at Peak PEO.

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